More Than a Game

More Than a Game

2008PG1h 40m
DVD

Overview

Details

Four African American hoopsters -- including LeBron James, who became an NBA megastar but faced a media maelstrom in his pressure-cooker senior year -- test their unique bond when they prep for playoffs at their elite, largely Caucasian high school.

You may also like

Reviews

age 10+

Common Sense Note

Parents need to know that if kids are old enough to love basketball and idolize LeBron James, you couldn't ask for a better documentary than More Than a Game. There's a strong emphasis on teamwork, family, and friendship -- the implication being that James wouldn't have been nearly as successful without his mother, teammates, and coaches. The movie is definitely tween-friendly from a content perspective; language includes a couple of "hell"s and a barely audible use of the "N" word, and there are some references to drugs, but always as a negative force. Though there are some hip-hop songs on the soundtrack, they're generally edited for content. In addition to James, the movie includes many other inspirational stories and characters to take home and remember -- and, as a bonus, you'll get plenty of gripping basketball footage worth cheering over.

Sexual
Content

The players occasionally mention the existence of adoring female fans and that you could play basketball to "get girls." It's implied that there could have been some hanky-panky, but nothing is shown or explicitly verbalized.

Violence

Nothing more than the usual fouls and jostles on the basketball court.

Language

Mostly clean, but there are at least two uses of the word "hell" during interviews, and the "N" word is barely audible in the background during a noisy team home video. A man in a restaurant calls the newly famous James a "jerk" as a way to illustrate how difficult James' celebrity was.

Social
Behavior

Though the movie spends a lot of time on NBA superstar LeBron James, it focuses more on the concept of teamwork than on a one-man show -- each of his teammates gets equal time on camera. The movie is also filled with messages about the importance of family, and the central four players/best friends are shown bonding and trusting one another -- the movie celebrates how their trust and friendship translate to the court. The destructive power of arrogance is also illustrated, and there's a general tone that while basketball was the key for most of these kids, it's also not the end-all, be-all of life.

Consumerism

The players speak jealously of an early rival team being sponsored by Nike -- but later on, when their own stars rise, they're happy about having been sponsored by Adidas. One player jokingly recommends that all athletes eat Wheaties. Gatorade is mentioned.

Drugs / Tobacco /
Alcohol

Drugs are referred to as a reality of life for some of the players who came from the projects, but the movie doesn't indicate that any of the players ever tried drugs; it presents the players as being clean and healthy, and drugs are constantly labeled as something negative, a temptation and a bad influence to be overcome and beaten. In this light, there are images of teenagers smoking pot in a housing project.

Age appropriate

Not an issue

Depends on your child and your family

Parents strongly cautioned

Not appropriate for kids of the age

This information for parents is provided by Common Sense Media, a non-profit organization dedicated to improving kids' media lives.

How it works

1

Create your list

Browse from thousands of movies and shows.

2

Free delivery

We send out your disc the next business day.

3

Watch and repeat

Free returns, plus no due dates or late fees.

Unlimited movies sent to your door, starting at $7.99 a month.

Since 1998, DVD Netflix has been the premier DVD-by-mail rental service. Make your movie list and get Blu-rays and DVDs conveniently delivered to you with free shipping both ways. Most of our subscribers receive their discs within two business days. Start your free trial today.